What is Hinduism?

What is Hinduism?
Hinduism is the third most popular religion in the world, and has about 900 million followers. People who follow this religion are known as Hindus. Around 80 percent of the population in India call themselves as Hindus. Hinduism is also called as the "Sanatana Dharma". In Sanskrit, the original language of India, 'Sanatana' means Everlasting and 'Dharma', means Religion.
Basics of Hinduism:
§ Hinduism is more than 3000 years old; its elements of faith are even older.

§ It has no single founder, teacher, or prophet.

§ It is not a single unified religion.

§ It had originated around the river Indus.

§ It Believes in a universal soul or God.

§ There are many deities like Krishna, Shiva, Rama and Durga.

§ Hindus believe in the existence of a cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation, which is based on the concept of karma

Hinduism and varied beliefs:
Hinduism does not believe in a single set of belief or way of worship. Indeed the word itself did not appear in English until 1829. Hinduism is the conglomeration of a variety of different religious groups, which come out of India.
History of Hinduism:
Hinduism was formed from the practices of those who lived near the Indus river, that is the modern day Pakistan. However Hinduism has been influenced by the traditions, stories and practices of people from other parts of India and beyond.
Hindu God or Gods:
Hinduism Believes in just One God. It gives us the opportunity to visualize the various forms of god. This belief is often mixed with polytheism. It is believed that the Hindus worship many gods, but in fact, many Hindus would claim to believe in one eternal god (Brahman), which is indefinable, whilst revering other deities. They recognize the other gods as different aspects of the Brahman.
Karma:
Karma is central to Hindu faith. According to Hinduism the soul goes through a cycle of lives and the next incarnation depends on the previous life. Our actions in the previous life keeps us in this world, this bondage is known as "Karma". The bondage refers to the confinement to this "samsara" in the same way as the spokes are limited to the wheel. While good actions can cause us to be reborn to experience good results, bad actions can cause us to be reborn again and again to undergo suffering and pain.
Caste system under Hinduism:
The caste system which was described in the Vedas, has been abused much over the years, this was nothing but a representation of a society. The four castes are - the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. An efficient human society is based on its educational system that is the Brahmins, its defense and military system that is the Kshatriyas, its economical system that is the Vaishyas, and a strong workforce called the Shudras. This representation of the people in various Varna's was exploited by many in the Indian society, leading to the formation of many thousands of sub-castes, and also the so-called "upper" castes.
Founder of Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest religion of all world religions. For hundreds of years, it has been searched for some evidenceabout its founder, but no one could point a finger at a specific founder or its date of origin. Even the authors of its sacred texts are largely unknown. The system exists from time immemorial and there is no exact beginning of this religion. It has no particular fonder but has many Rishis, Saints, Gurus, and leaders who reformed and revived the existing culture and traditions. It has developed out of Brahmanism.
Ancient Hindu works talk about things that happened between periods of time more than the period well known to history scholars of current time. Even scientific excavationsshow the existence of ceremonious worship, at the early periods.
Many philosophers came up with new systems in the Hindu religion. Because of the wide spectrum of Hinduism, it accommodated a lot of new ideas and philosophies. Because of its innovative nature it is a healthy religion that does not get stagnant. People who followed the religion had the discretion to find their suitable path through the propagation of one or more philosophers that was a real diverse system.
In other words, there is no single founder of Hinduism and it existed from time unexplored, as a religion. Hinduism, is open to interpretation, and is a collection of a path to wisdom, which is based on reasoning more than a divine authority and does not have any specific founder.
The temples that have been found in the Indus valley civilization have no indication of a deity. But there were many 'gods' and 'goddesses' as symbols of nature. People of the Indus valley civilization worshipped forces of nature. Each village had its own unique statue to worship. The aspect of politics was also mixed with the religion models in ancient culture where the ruler was considered the 'son' of the mother-goddess.
Thus, Hinduism was subject to new philosophies that changed it over time. It consists of a wide range of beliefs, which are not interrelated sometimes. There is no known founder as such for Hinduism, no creed, or single source of authority. All the Hindu philosophies share just a thin connection with each other.
Origin of the word ‘Hindu’
The word ‘Hindu’ is not a Sanskrit word or nor mentioned in any of the ancient major texts of India. It is believed to be originated from the ancient Persians. The Persianswho were shared some common culture with the people of Indian sub-continent used to call the Indus River as ‘Sindhu.’ Due to some linguistic problems, they could not pronounce the letter ‘S’ in their language and started mispronouncing it as ‘H’. Thus they started pronouncing the word Sindhu as Hindu. The ancient Greeks, American and the rest of the world followed the same word and started calling the Indus river valley people as Hindus and gradually the word stuck.
Origin of the word ‘Hindustan’
Even the word ‘Hindustan’ is not originated from the mouth of any Indian. The Muslim travelers and rulers who came to India during the medieval period called the Indian subcontinent as ‘Hindustan’ and its people as ‘Hindus.’ The British too followed the same words and later they used this name religiously to distinguishHindus from Muslims and Christians.
Hindu Views on Death and Dying
Hindus believe in the concept of many reincarnations. The ultimate goal is to unite with the Supreme Being, Brahman. They also belief in Karma, and tend to be fatalistic. The general belief is that one's present status and condition is a result of existence in the previous birth and is, therefore, deserved, be it good or bad. Being good in his present life may help him have a better life next time, but this will not alter his present situation.
The ultimate goal
The ultimate aim of the Hindu faith is to achieve Moksha. In other words they long for liberation from the vicious cycle of incarnations. The most important event in the life of a Hindu is, his/her death. Moksha can be achieved by following the four different ways. They are karma yoga, the path of action, Bhakti yoga the path of devotion,Gnana yoga, the path of knowledge and Raja Yoga a way of special postures, methods of breathing.
Views of death by Bhagavat Gita
The Bhagavad-Gita also describes two paths along which souls travel after death. One is in the path of the sun (bright path), and the other is the path of the moon (dark path)The souls that travel along the path of the sun never return again, while those, which travel along the path of the moon, return again.
Hinduism believes that every person is on a vision quest. But, at the time of the great departure (death), Mahaprasthana, a vision comes, in the form of a tunnel of light at the end of which live beings of divine nature. Hinduism believes that death is a blissful, transition from one state to another.
All this concepts of death remind us that life on earth is temporary. All our possessions, ego, power, and learning will all end. Once this truth is discovered then one can turn their mind towards God. Which according to Hinduism is life's ultimate goal, the path of dharma will take us there. This is done, but in assurance, faith and gratitude for the opportunity to progress spiritually in this physical incarnation.
Hindu religious traditions: The religious life of most of the Hindus is centered on the devotion to God. The interpretations of God may differ from person to person. Many rituals are developed which help the man realize the divinity from the midst of daily life.

The more philosophically oriented Hindus will ignore the idea of gods and seek realization through different forms ofmeditation. Other Hindus will perform their duties towards society while keeping the moral values and seek the divine. In fact, there are three possible paths (margas) to liberation and all the recognized as equally valid. The three paths are:

§ Karmamarga-the path of work and action

§ Jnanamarga -the path of knowledge

§ Bhaktimarga- the path of devotion

All the stages in the life of a traditional Hindu involve religious rituals and practices. Some of the major Hindu practices are here.

Puja (worship)

This is a religious ritual which most of the Hindus do. Puja can be considered as connecting one to the domain and actions of the divine. Puja can take different forms. The simplest of them is called darshan, gazing up on an image. This image symbolizes the individuals chosen form of God.

The devotee symbolically offers God certain items like food, water and flowers. Sometimes lighting a candle or incense and ringing a bell will be done in this occasion. Other practices include chanting the name of the God and reciting certain scriptures. The food which is offered is considered to be sanctified, which is called Prasad. Taking Prasada is supposed to be spiritually beneficial.

For Hindus, it is not compulsory to visit temples. Some people do the worshipping in their own homes.

According to Karma Yoga, the worship can also be done by performing every action as an offering to God. Doing work without seeking personal benefits out of it is considered to be considered higher than the formal worship.

The Guru-Disciple Tradition

By Hindu religious traditions, the spiritual aspirant takes studentship under a personal spiritual teacher called Guru. To disciple stays with the Guru and follow his instructions in order to attain the ultimate goal of spiritual life. Even though the Guru never asks any money for the guidance he had given, the student may give gifts (guru dakshina) as a token of appreciation.

Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage is not mandatory in Hinduism, as it is in some other religions. A large number of holy places (Tirtha Sthanas) exist in India. Varanasi (Banares), Kedarnath and Rameshwaram are some of the places which are considered to be holy.



History of Hinduism

The origin of the Hindu religion is under dispute to date and many theories about its origin are still being put forward. The common belief is that the Indus Valley civilization existed near the river Indus around 3200 B.C.-1600 B.C. They followed a religion that had a close resemblance to Hinduism. This religion later went through the influence of the Dravidians and the Aryans around 1500 BC. In the recent times repeatedly, the theory of Aryan invaders is being challenged.

With the introduction of the Vedas around 1000 BC, a loose framework of the religion was formed. The Vedas were considered as the most important holy books as they were believed to provide divine knowledge. The Vedas are also considered as the foundation of Hindu philosophy. Upanishads are a part of the Vedas, which lay emphasis on the metaphysical nature of the universe and soul. In the epics like, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Manu smriti theessence of the Hindu religion unfolds.

The term Hinduism

The origin of the term Hindu also has historical connotations. The Aryan race that settled near the river Sindhu. The Persians pronounced the word Sindhu as Hindu, and named the Aryan's Hindus. Thus Hindu is only a mispelt form of Sindhu. The word Hindu was a geographic rather than a religious term but now it has turned out to be a loaded term as it is associated with a religion.

The origin of Hinduism

Hinduism was not found by any one person, or does not have only one core doctrine. There is also no definite time when it could be said to have begun. It does not require its adherents to accept any one idea, and thus is cultural; its Ideologies were developed into a history with the peoples with which it is associated. Hinduism is also known for an attitude, of accommodating other religious and cultural perspectives into their own. Thus it has a variety of ideas and practices resulting in what appears as a multiplicity of religions under one umbrella 'Hinduism'.

Hinduism maybe the only religious tradition that is so diverse in its theoretical and practical expressions that it is like a compilation of religions. Hinduism lacks any definitive beliefs or ideas. It is a phenomenon and forms a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices, which are paganism, pantheism and so on. On the other hand it is very profound, abstract, and full of metaphysical speculations.

Religion and culture are interchangeable terms in Hinduism. Some expressions like 'Bhakti' (devotion) or 'Dharma' (what is right) and 'Yoga' (discipline) are used to depict essential aspects of the religion. Hinduism later in its belief included idol worship, casteism, reincarnation, 'karma', 'dharma' and 'moksha'. Some moral ideals in Hinduism include non-violence, truthfulness, friendship, compassion, fortitude, self-control, purity and generosity.



Facts about Hinduism: Hinduism is the oldest surviving religion of the world, where its origin took place before history was ever recorded. It is called as ‘Sanatana Dharma’ i.e. it is eternal religion and spontaneous by nature. It has no founder to give credit to its discovery nor does anyone know its date of origin. Here are some basic facts about Hinduism.
Basic facts about Hinduism
§ Hinduism is not a religion in the normal sense, but it is a set of traditions and beliefs evolved over a long period of time.

§ It is also called Sanathana Dharma or Eternal Religion

§ There exists no single scripture or single prophet to follow.

§ No central organization or authority to control the movements or progress.

Size rank
It is the third largest religion in the world.
Founder of Hinduism
None
The Original Language
Sanskrit
Main location
India.
Spiritual Leader
Gurus or sages
Major Sects of Hinduism
§ Shaivism

§ Vaishnavism

§ Shaktism

The Sacred Texts of Hinduism
§ Vedas

§ Upanishads

§ Bhagavat Gita

Purpose of life in Hinduism
The purpose of life is to obtain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.
The Three Debts:
§ debt to God

§ debt to saints and sages

§ debt to ancestors

The Three Paths to be followed:
§ Karmamarga - path of work and action

§ Jnanamarga - path of knowledge

§ Bhaktimarga - path of devotion to God

The Four Stages in Life:
§ Brahmacharya - During education - grow and learn

§ Grhastha - Taking care of marriage, family and career

§ Vanaprastha - starts seeking spiritual things

§ Sanryasa - abandon world to seek spiritual things

The Four Purposes of life:
§ Dharma- Fulfilling social , moral, and religious duties

§ Artha - Attaining financial and worldly success

§ Kama – Satisfying desires God

§ Moksha– Attaining freedom from rebirth

Basic Tenets of Hinduism
§ Satya - Follow truth, do not lie

§ Ahimsa - Follow non violence

§ Brahmacharya - do not overindulge

§ Asteya - do not steal, do not possess

§ Aparigraha - Non-corrupt

§ Shaucha - Be clean

§ Santosha - Be content

§ Tapas - Be self-disciplined

§ Svadhyaya - Learning the scriptures

§ Ishvara Pranidhana - surrender to God

Basic Beliefs in Hinduism
§ It believes in one and all pervasive Supreme Being who is both transcendent and immanent.

§ The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.

§ It believes in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.

§ It believes that all life is sacred and pure to be loved and respected.

§ It believes that our soul reincarnates through many births until it attains moksha- liberation from the cycles of birth and rebirth.

§ It believes in ahimsa and dharma-doing one’s duties.

God in Hinduism
God in Hinduism is the Supreme Being-Maha Vishnu who is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. This Supreme Being is the universal energy which is everywhere and in everything. The different deities and Gods worshiped are different aspects and avatars of this Supreme Being. This Supreme Being is formless, shapeless and genderless.
What Makes Up Hindu Religion?
Scriptures for Hindu religion:
Hinduism is not a religion in the normal sense, but it is a set of traditions and beliefs evolved over a long period of time. There are different sects of Hinduism, but they all admire the ancient scriptures called Vedas. Upanishads are more philosophically inclined Vedic texts. The ancient Indian scholars called Rishis' search for the knowledge, that would make man kind to be free from the cycle of reincarnationcan be seen in Upanishads.
Central themes for Hindu religion
The fundamental concept of Hinduism is the belief in the ultimate reality called Brahman (universal soul) and its identification with the Aatman (individual soul). All creatures go through a cycle of birth and re-birth. The status of the being in each birth is determined by the principle of Karma. This can be broken only by self realization, and the being is said to be attained Moksha (liberation).
Gods of Hindu religion
The ultimate God is supposed to be Brahman, the absolute reality, which is formless and infinite. For the sake of worshipping the infinite reality with the limited human minds, Gods had been personified and associated with different attributes. The most worshipped Hindu deities are Shiva, Vishnu and Shakthi (Devi).
Mythology for Hindus
The roots of the Hindu mythology lie in the Vedic civilization. But the major sources of Hindu mythology are epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas.
Hindu Vegetarianism
A large section of Hindus are advocates of vegetarianism, even though it is not made compulsory in Hindu tradition. Cow is considered to be a holy animal.
Themes and symbols:
Tilaka and Bindi: Hindus traditionally wear a mark on their forehead and other parts of the body, in different forms. Hindu women wear a decorative dot on their forehead, which is called Bindi. Sometimes Hindus wear holy ash called Vibhuti also.
Aum is the sacred symbol which represents the absolute reality, Brahman. This can be seen in all mantras and prayers. It represents God in its three aspects- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Another noble and auspicious symbol is Swastika, which stands for purity of thesoul. The four directions, which had been shown in the symbol, represent four Vedas and their harmonious existence.
Hindu philosophy:
There exist six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. They are:
§ Nyaya

§ Vaishseshika

§ Samkhya

§ Yoga

§ Purva Mimamsa

§ Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta)

Non Vedic schools are called Nastika. The schools that enrich Hinduism today are Yoga, Purva Mimamsa and Vedanta.
Practices of Hindu Religion
Hindu religious practices generally include seeking an awareness of God as well as and looking for blessings from different Gods. Hinduism has developed several practices that can help one to relate himself with the divinity.
Hinduism is actually based on idol worship. Hindus worship the idols of their Gods and Goddesses at the temple or at their home. For Hindus, visiting temples are not indispensable. In fact many of them visit temples during religious festivals only.
Hinduism is associated with many symbols and icons and these symbols get their meanings from mythology, scriptures and cultural traditions. Every symbols and icons have a sacred implication.
There is one more thing that most of the pious Hindus utter during worshipping, that is Sanskrit “Mantra”. “Mantra” is actually an invocation to God including prayer, praise, devotion and dedication and through its sound and chanting style, it takes one’s mind to the holy and divine thoughts.


Hindu Symbol OM
‘OM’-The symbol is comprised of three syllables put into one. In Sanskrit the vowel "o" is constitutionally a diphthong compound of a + u; hence OM is representatively written as AUM. The symbol of AUM is formed by three curves (curves 1, 2, and 3), one semicircle (curve 4), and a dot.
Symbolism behind the three Curves of OM:
Large Lower Curve:
The large lower curve forms the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness of a human is turned towards the gate of sense. The larger size of the curve signifies state of human consciousness.
The Upper Curve:
The upper curve represents the state of deep slumber (sushupti) in other words, the unconscious state. This is a state where the human has no desire of anything nor does he have a dream.
The Middle Curve:
The middle curve implies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of a person is turned inwards, and the person who dreams holds an exciting view of the world.
The above-mentioned signs are the three states of a person's consciousness, and thus these three curves represent the whole physical phenomenon.
Symbolism behind the Dot:
The dot in the Aum signifies the fourth state of consciousness, which in Sanskrit is known as ‘turiya.’ This state signifies the coming to rest of all relative existence. This quiet and peaceful state is the ultimate goal of all Hindus.
Symbolism behind the Semi Circle:
Finally, the semi circle in the OM symbolizes "Maya" (illusion). This illusion or maya prevents us from the achievement of bliss. This effect is used to prevent the seeker from reaching his ultimate goal, the realization of the One, and all-pervading, absolute principle.
Symbolism behind the Sound of OM:
As regards the sound and form, AUM is symbolic of Brahma and the whole universe.
§ A symbolizes Creation

§ U symbolizes Preservation

§ M symbolizes Destruction

The three sounds also symbolize the three Vedas (Rig-Veda, Sam Veda, and Yajur Veda).
This is in other words represents the Trinity in Hindu Dharma namely Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Other Symbolism behind OM:
§ The three letters in AUM also indicate three planes of existence, called heaven, earth and netherworld.

§ AUM can represent all the words produced by the human vocal organ. This can be said because; A is produced by the throat and U & M by the lips.

§ According to the Vedas, AUM is associated with the sound of the Sun and also the sound of Light.

§ It symbolizes the sound of the infinite.

But overall the nature of OM is threefold. It is a sacred sound. It forms the essenceof all mantras. It is the ultimate reality (Brahma). It is also said to be the centralessence of the Vedas.
While meditating, if we chant OM, we create within ourselves a vibration that connects us with the cosmic vibration and we start thinking universally. The silence between each chant becomes felt physically. The Mind moves from the opposites of sound and silence until the sound ceases. In this silence, there is no thought. This is the state of trance.


Hindu Gods
Hindus view three cosmic activities of the Supreme Being, which are, creation, preservation, and dissolution and recreation. They associate these three cosmic tasks to the three deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Lord Brahma is the creator and represents the creative part of the Supreme Being. Lord Vishnu runs and maintains the universe and thus represents the eternal principle of preservation. Lord Shiva is the destroyer and recreator. These three gods put together form the Hindu Trinity ( Trimurthy).
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are not without connection. They are the same power (the Supreme Being), but have three different aspects. The Supreme Being is called Brahma. Vishnu, Bramha or Shiva when perform the three different cosmic tasks of creation, preservation, and dissolution/recreation. The following are the most important gods for Hinduism.
Lord Ganesh:
This Hindu deity is in a human form but has the head of an elephant. He represents the power of the Supreme Being who removes obstacles and ensures success in human work. Hindus worship Ganesha before beginning any activity. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is the first son of Shiva and Parvati. The portrayal of Lord Ganesha as a blend of human and animal parts symbolizes the ideals of perfection as formed by Hindu sages. This form of Ganesha also symbolizes philosophical concepts of profound spiritual significance.
Lord Shiva:
He represents that aspect of the Supreme Being (Brahman of the Upanishads) that dissolves and creates the cyclic process of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the universe.
His cosmic activity is destruction and recreation, thus the words destroyer and destruction have been associated with Lord Shiva. A good balance between the opposing forces of good and evil sustains creation. When balance of this is disturbed then sustenance of life becomes impossible. Lord Shiva then dissolves the universe so that a new creation of the next order can be formed so that the unliberated souls get another opportunity to liberate themselves from bondage from the physical world. Thus, Lord Shiva protects the souls from pain. He protects people from forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He is the granter of boons, and bestows grace.
Lord Brahma:
He is that aspect of the Supreme Reality that brings forth creation. Hindus call him as the creator of the universe. His consort is Saraswati, who is the Goddess of learning and knowledge. Goddess Saraswati helps Lord Brahma by providing him with knowledge that is necessary for the process of creation.
Lord Vishnu:
He represents the aspect of perseverance and sustenance of the Supreme Reality. A human body with four arms generally symbolizes Vishnu. The four arms of his indicate his omnipresence and omnipotence. His two front arms show his activity in the physical world and his two back arms signify his activity in the spiritual world. The right side of his body is the sign of creative activities of the mind and the intellect. The left side signifies the activities of the heart, that is, love, kindness, and compassion.
Goddess Durga:
She represents the power of the Supreme Being who preserves moral order. The Sanskrit word Durga actually means a fort or a place that is protected and thus difficult to reach. Durga, is also known as the Divine Mother, who protects humans from evil by destroying evil forces. Durga also has many other names, like Parvati, Ambika, and Kali. She has eighteen arms, in each she carries weapons to destroy evil.
Lakshmi:
She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The word ''Lakshmi'' is formed from a Sanskrit word called Laksme, which means "goal." She therefore, signifies the goal of life (worldly or spiritual prosperity). Lakshmi is a female form with four arms and four hands. She wears a red saree with a golden lining and is seen standing on a lotus. She has golden coins and lotuses in her hands.
Saraswati:
She is the Goddess of learning, knowledge, and wisdom. Sanskrit word "sara" means "essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self". According to Hindu mythology she is the divine consort of Lord Brahma. who is the Creator of the universe. Knowledge is necessary for creation. Goddess Saraswati is generally depicted with four arms. She wears a white sari and is seated on a white lotus. She holds a book and a rosary in two of her hands. Her other two hands are engaged in playing Veena. She has a swan as her vehicle. There is a peacock by her side.
The Hindu Trinity
Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (siva) form the trinity of Hinduism. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver and Siva is the destroyer. Their wives help them in their duties, who are goddesses called, Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi. Saraswathi is the goddess of knowledge while Lakshmi, is the godess of wealth and Parvathi is called the Mother Goddess. All three gods rule three different worlds. Bramha rules Brahmalok, Vishnu rules Vaikunth and Siva rules Kailash.
Actually in the Vedas there is no reference to the concept of Trinity. During the Rigvedic though, Vishnu was known as a solar deity, Siva was unknown. The concept of Trinity is thus not a Vedic concept but a native Indian concept.
Thus the roles of Brahma and Vishnu were assimilated into the Indian religious tradition. Quite different from the popular opinion, Hindu religious tradition assimilated the Vedic religion much in the same way as it absorbed many other foreign traditions subsequently.
Significance of Hindu Trinity:
The gods of the Trinity are not different; they are manifestations of a singleSupreme Being called "Ishwara". These concepts have been brought about because it was believed that ordinary human minds couldn't comprehend the oneness of the universe. God is believed to exist in innumerable planes simultaneously in the same way as Trinity appear in three different roles at the same time. The difference is only in appearance, which is part of the illusion that god weaves around us.
Brahma:
Brahma is said to have born from the navel of Vishnu as he was lying on the great serpent (Ananta) in the milky ocean. He is the creator. The description of Brahma bears a mystic symbolism. The lotus represents Reality. The four faces of Brahma represent the four Vedas.
The animal hide worn by Brahma stands for austerity. He also holds the Vedas in one hand. Thus having all the knowledge of scriptures he works in the world without ego and personal desires. His mind is free from all other preoccupations from the world of objectivity. Such a mind is called as uparati, this is symbolized by Brahma holding the kamandalu in one of his hands.
The rosary (mala) in the fourth hand is used for chanting and meditation. Meditationis said to be the final gateway to Realisation. A swan is described in Hindu mysticism as possessing the unique faculty of separating pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. Which in other words has to do with purity.
Vishnu:
Lord Vishnu is popularly known as the preserver of the universe. He is usually depicted in a human form, sleeping on the great serpent called Shesha in floating waters. It is believed that: humans can attain salvation by following their paths of duty. Good and evil powers (gods and demons) contend for domination over the world.
Sometimes, the balance of power is upset by evil, and then Lord Vishnu descends onto the earth in a mortal form (avatar) to save humankind.Lord Vishnu is usually picturized as dark blue or black. He has four arms: One hand holds a lotus; a second holds a conch; a third holds a discus and the fourth carries a mace. He rides a creature, which is half bird and half man, called Gandara. His home is a heaven called. This god has a thousand names, chanting of which is regarded as an act of devotion.
Shiva:
Shiva is said to be the god of destruction. He sits in meditation near the snow-capped Mountains at Kailas. He is said to have a third eye known as gyana chakshu. Gyana chakshu means eye of wisdom. The eyes whose vision goes beyond the two mortal eyes. His posture shows perfect harmony and poise, experienced usually by a man of Realization. He is rooted in God- consciousness.
Nothing seems to disturb him. Neither the vicissitudes of nature, nor the challenges of life affect him at all. The snow in the background symbolizes the purity of mind. Shiva is also known as "Gangadhar" which means "the carrier of Ganga" (River Ganges). He carries the Ganges in his locks. Lord Shiva symbolizes victory over ego and the attainment of perfection.


Forms of God
The Hinduism is well known for the multiplicity of the Gods. It doesn't advocate the worship of any particular deity. In this context, the Hindu concept of God can be misinterpreted. The fact is that, all these gods and goddesses represent different aspects of the absolutesupreme called Brahman. One should understand the fact that each deity is a manifestation of Brahman. It symbolizes one particular aspect of Brahman, or ultimately Brahman itself.
Multiplicity of gods in Hinduism
The Hinduism is well known for the multiplicity of the Gods. It doesn't advocate the worship of any particular deity. In this context, the Hindu concept of God can be misinterpreted. The fact is that, all these gods and goddesses represent different aspects of the absolutesupreme called Brahman. One should understand the fact that each deity is a manifestation of Brahman. It symbolizes one particular aspect of Brahman, or ultimately Brahman itself.
Attributes of Brahman
Brahman is the God in the highest sense: formless, infinite and eternal. As being formless, God is neither nether male nor female. God is beyond space and time, and it is changeless and it is the source of consciousness. Brahman cannot exist, as it is the existence it self. Brahman is all knowing and it is knowledge it self.
Need for gods
God is infinite and the human mind is finite. As all our sensory organs are limited, so do our minds. So, when we think about God, we try to project our limitations on God. This is the point where we associate certain kind of attributes to God. Different Gods will have different forms, personalities and duties.
God is infinite, we are finite
Hindu beliefs do not consider projecting certain attributes on God. On the contrary, it helps people to understand the Supreme Being, whose existence is ungraspable to the human mind. The numerous ways in which the Hindu Gods exists makes the ordinary man to have a chance of identification with the God. Many of the Gods are having family and they handle different roles like: fatherhood, motherhood etc. Thus, instead of being an abstract concept, god becomes a personal being.
Understanding the Brahman
Despite having the abstract concept of Brahman, Hindus worship the God in his personal forms every day. The ancient Vedas describes a number of deities like Indra, Agni, Varuna, which are personified forms of forces of nature. These Vedic gods are no longer worshipped. Today most of the people worships deities like Vishnu, Shiva and Shakthi.
According to Bhagavata Purana, absolute Brahman can be realized in three ways.
§ Brahman it self ( the absolute reality)

§ Paramatma (union of all individual souls)

§ Bhagvan (as a personal God)

Isvara or Bhagvan
When we talk about God as a supreme powerful human being, we often use the name Isvara or Bhagvan. Depending on the aspect of the Isvara which we are referring to, different images are created. For example,
§ Brahma - being referred to as creator

§ Vishnu - being refereed to as preserver

§ Shiva - being referred as the destroyer.

The ultimate aim
The goal of Hinduism is to wake up and realize our connection with the absolute reality Brahman. That is why the essence of Vedas is considered to be "aham brahmasmi" (I am the Brahman).
Attributes of Brahman
Brahman is the God in the highest sense: formless, infinite and eternal. As being formless, God is neither nether male nor female. God is beyond space and time, and it is changeless and it is the source of consciousness. Brahman cannot exist, as it is the existence it self. Brahman is all knowing and it is knowledge it s


Temples
The Hindus believe in the concept of God as a single absolute reality. But the different aspects of this supremeGod can be realized in the form of different demigods and goddesses. Thus Hindus worship God in his personal form every day.

The religious life of a Hindu is centered on the devotion to God. There are rituals and practices which had been developed in order to assist him in this. The most commonform of worship is Puja. To worship the God, Hindus visit temples, even though it is not mandatory in Hinduism. Temples are considered to be the house of the God. You can find either one or more deities in the same temple.

Temple Architecture

Vedic temple architecture emphasizes the need for the temple to be in tune with the surroundings. Sculpturescarved in rock are the typical feature of the temples at this time. Even modern temples follow a part of this style.

Later, huge pyramids started forming a part of Hindu temples, of which two prominent styles are:

§ Naagra Style- followed mostly in Northern India, with slightly curved pyramids.

§ Dravidian Style- followed mostly in Southern India, with stepped pyramids.

Different sates in India have different kind of architectural styles.

The most important part of a temple is the sanctum sanctorum (Garbha- Griha), where the murti (depiction of the deity) is present.

Elements of worship in a temple

The most common elements of worship in a temple are:

§ Darshan ( gazing up on the murti)

§ Puja ( offering food, flowers etc to God)

§ Bhajan ( Singing prayers to please the God)

§ Pradakshina ( Walking around the sanctum sanctorum)

§ Prasad ( The objects which are offered to god, then consumed by the faith that the blessings are in that object)

Norms of the temple

To keep the purity of the temple, the visitors are supposed to follow certain norms.

§ Wear modest clothes.

§ Foot wears are not allowed

§ Consumption of non vegetarian food, alcohol is not allowed.

§ Women having their menstrual cycle are not supposed to enter the temple.

§ Should not enter the sanctum sanctorum or touch the murti with out permission.

These norms also differ from temple to temple and from region to region.

Temple Management

In ancient times, kings or the most respected families used to take care of the management of the temples. Now there are local committees or boards which are managing and maintaining them. The controls over most of the ancient temples have been taken by Archeological Survey of India.

Important Temples in India

There are a lot of temples spread across different states of India. A great amount of details of them are available through the internet.



Hindu Clothes
Indian clothing is famous because it is colorful and also graceful. Outfits for women are designed to be graceful. While men's clothes are for the warm climate and comfort. Certain trends in clothing prevail even to date throughout the country.
WOMEN'S CLOTHING:

The traditional Indian clothing for women is the Sari, which can be worn in many different ways. A choli is worn over a sari, which is a blouse that ends just below the bust. The Salwar Kameej is one of the most popular costumes. The Salwar Kameez too has had many designs. One of the other traditional dresses is the Lehangas.
The sari:
The Sari is still so popular even after centuries because it has a sense of luxury and sexuality to it. Even though it is a single length of material, the sari is a very versatile garment. It is a rectangular piece of cloth, which is sometimes five and usually six yards in length. The style, color and texture of this cloth vary. But the most traditional ones are the handloom or hand woven saris. Now a -days it is made from cotton, silk or one of the several man-made materials.
The choli:
It is a tightly fitted blouse that ends just below the bust and is worn under a sari. It can be long sleeved or even short sleeved. The choli came developed as a form of clothing in 10th century AD. The cholis first used were only front covering; the back was usually bare. Blouses of this kind are still common. Today, there are a number of styles of cholis which are inspired by other cultures as well.
The salwar kameej:
Another commonly used attire of women in India is the salwar-kameez. This dress was used in the northern part of India as a comfortable and especially in Kashmirand Punjab. Now it is very popular in all regions of India. Salwars are loose trousers like pants drawn tightly to the waist and the ankles. Over the salwar, they wear long and loose clothing known as a kameez. Occasionally women wear churidar instead of a salwar. A churidar is like the salwar but is tight fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles.
The lehanga:
Apart from the sari's, women in some regions wear a kind of pleated skirt known as the ghagra or lehanga. This skirt is tied around the waist and thus leaves the back and midriff bare. This dress also has a choli. The choli is covered by a length of cloth known as "odhni" or "dupatta".
MEN'S TRADITIONAL CLOTHING:

The traditional attire of men includes: Sherwani, Lungi, Dhoti and Kurta Pajama.
The sherwani:
It is a coat like garment, worn by men, which is tight and close to the body. It is usually knee-length or longer and opens in front with the help of buttons. Below this men wear a garment, which is baggy and wide at the top but tight around the legs and ankles. It is considered as a very elegant dress for men and mostly worn only during ceremonies.
The lungi:
The lungi had originated in the south and is still common there. Today men and women wear it in the same fashion. It is simply a long length of material worn around the thighs like a sarong.
The dhoti:
A dhoti is a longer version of a lungi. It has an additional length of material to be pulled up between the legs.
The kurta-pyjama:
The Kurta is a knee length shirt, which is worn, mostly in white or pastel colors. Elderly people usually wore it, because they looked decent in it. Today you find Kurtas made out of the most varied colors and fabrics. Pyjama-are nothing but loose trousers which you tie around the waist with a string. It is traditionally white in color.

Hindu Art

Hinduism is a conglomeration of a wide variety of beliefs and Infact, it is unique in its tolerance of diversity. Roots of this religion have been since 4000 years in India, and as it developed it absorbed many beliefs and practices of various kinds of people. Assimilation happened differently for different parts of India.
The Hindu religion is a great repository of heterogeneity of beliefs. Worship of different kinds of deities is a very personal choice, and that aspect of Hindu practice is reflected in the number of different Hindu temples and their sculptural beliefs.
A man who has no knowledge of music, literature, or art is believed to be no better than a beast. Hindu's always believed art to be a key to salvation or ultimate release that is sought by all good Hindus. There is a kind of a holistic feel about Indian art; it is a unity of many forms and artistic experiences.
Different forms of hindu art:
Art rules every part of Indian life, and is found in every reference of ancient Indian Civilization. Indian art is considered a disciplined style of worship and self-restraint. Hindu art can also be thought of as India's oldest indigenous science.
Sometimes lord Shiva, is visually represented as "King of Dance" or Nataraja. This form of Shiva is considered as the most remarkable symbol of divine powers, which was ever created by Indian artistic genius.
Indian artists have frozen the beauty of human bodies in various shapes with the help of stone and bronze for around 5,000 years. It is difficult to name only a single person or persons among the geniuses who brought gods to life in places like the Ellora, Ajanta, Elephanta and Karli caves.
The transition from cave excavation and carvings on the Hindu temples are depicted dramatically and powerfully at Ellora. Ellora is an entire mountain which has been literally shaped out over many centuries by devoted artists. These artists created and "extracted" Lord Shiva's Mount Kailas temple within that enormous rock dome.
Ellora's Kailas cave temple is still one of the few beautiful monuments of art and Hindu devotion. The carvings on some of the walls and pillars is magnificent. No other work on stone or in any other material are as fine. But still what remains a mystery is what tools have been used to make the very hard and tough stone as it is to be seen on the present day.
Indian art is related to Hindu religion and philosophy. It is hard to appreciate the Indian art unless one has insight into the ideals that govern the Indian minds. In the Indian art there is mostly a religious element, a looking beyond.
The beautiful carvings of the Hindu temples, the beautiful wall paintings of Ajanta, or the intriguing art of cave sites and the sophisticated temple building tradition, the Indian Hindu culture offers a good visual feast.
Hindu Music
Hindu music is also called as sangeet. Music is believed to have mythological roots and is associated with the heavenly singers, called the Gandharvas. The first person to practice this art form was Narada. The oldest texts associated with music are the Sama Veda, which consists of melodies, which are recited, in the form of hymns during ritual sacrifice. Music is considered as a means of moral or spiritual connection rather than mere entertainment. There are three key elements in the music discipline
§ The guru - coming in parampara where the disciple becomes the successor

§ Vinaya - humility, this is one of the key ingredients expected from a disciple

§ Sadhana -practice of what is being taught regularly

Hindu music is based on two main things called
§ Raga, the melodic scale

§ Tala, the rhythm

Both Raga and Tala chosen carefully invokes the right mood (rasa). In discussing the aesthetics of dance and music, Bharata Muni coined the concept of nava-rasa, (nine principle "moods" or "tastes.)" During the Bhakhi movement, emphasis was on spiritual emotion, so worship was integrated into music. It was considered not only adoration but a means towards a higher consciousness. Tansen is also another important person remembered because he was believed to perform miracles through his singing.
Common instruments used for Hindu music includes drums, such as the tables mridangas, the manjira and the harmonium. Classical instruments include, tabla, include the flute, vina, sitar, sarangi, santoor, and shenai
The music of India is considered monodic. Its tone is divided into 22 segments called srutis. The basic scales in Hindu music are sa-grama. Other scales are derived from the basic srutis by the sharping or flatting of some of the tones. Melody is based on the system of ragas, and is used as the basis for improvisation.There are many ragas, and there are sets of rules for improvisation in that raga.
Each raga is attributed with certain ethical and emotional properties, and is also associated with a certain season and a certain time of day. Ragas are also associated with magical powers. For example if a raga associated with darkness is sung in the middle of the day then it can even bring darkness upon the earth. In the performance of the ragas, lots of importance is attached to the gamakas, (ornaments) of music. Music is based on very complex rhythmic patterns, called talas, which are combined in the most innovative ways.
The oldest instrument is the Drum and there are several types in it. The most important instrument is the Veena. A similar instrument is the sitar, the most commonly used instrument in India. In addition, various types of bagpipe, lute, fiddle, oboe, trumpet, flute, cymbal, and gong have been known in India. Many of the instruments are of Islamic origin.
Hindu Wedding
According to the holy texts there are eight different types of Hindu marriages. According to many of these eight types of marriages prevailed in ancient India. Among these eight types all dint have religious procedure. The last four are not religiously defined and most of the times were condemned.
Brahma Marriage:
According to the Brahma marriage if the boy completes his Brahmacharya (student hood), he is eligible to be married. This marriage is done when the father of the boy approachesthe girl's parents and asks for her hand. And then the Brahma marriage is arranged. In this there is no system of dowry. One of the most important ritual of this marriage is kanyadaan (where the father gifts his daughter to the groom.) Among the eight types the highest type of marriage is the dharmasastras.
Daiva Marriage:
In the case of Daiva marriage the girl is married to a priest. In this kind of amarriage the girl's family look for a suitable man for their daughter and if nobody turns up they go looking for a groom in such places where a sacrifice is being conducted. According to the religious texts Daiva marriage is inferior to Brahmamarriage. It is considered degrading for the woman to look for groom by herself or by her family.
Arsha Marriage:
The third type of marriage is called Arsha marriage that is marriage with the sages. In Arsha the bride is given in exchange for two cows, which is received, from the groom. Marriages of this type are said to have happened when the parents of the bride couldn't afford the expense of their daughter's marriage at the right time. Without choice the girl is married to an old sage. This is not considered as a noblemarriage at it involves monetary or business transaction.
Prajapatya Marriage:
This kind of marriage is almost similar to the Brahma marriage. There are only two major differences, one is that there is no monetary transaction and Kanyadaan is not a part of Prajapatya marriage. In this marriage the bride's father goes in search for a groom for his daughter.
Gandharva Marriage:
Next is Gandharva marriage, is like the modern day love marriage. Here the bride and the bridegroom marry secretly without the knowledge of their parents. It is not believed to be a right kind of marriage as it is against the will of the parents so it is inferior kind of marriage.
Asura Marriage:
In the Asura kind of marriage the groom is not considered suitable for the bride. He is in no way a match for the girl. The bridegroom gives as much wealth as he can afford to the bride's parents. So this system of marriage is more like buisness.
Rakshasa Marriage:
The Rakshasa marriage is done, when the groom fights battles with the bride's family, defeats them and then carries her away and then persuades her to marry him. This is not at all considered as the right kind of marriage as it includes force.
Paishacha Marriage:
Paishacha marriage is the last kind of marriage. It is considered as the most inferior type of marriage. In this the girl is married against her wishes. This kind of marriageis prohibited.

How to Plan a Wedding?
Planning a wedding is a very tough job. The best way to proceed is through three steps called Organizing, planning and coordinating. There is lots of pre wedding preparation, budgeting and planning that should happen before the wedding day. It is usually the responsibility of the parents of the bride and the groom to decide upon the wedding size depending on the budget.
The bride and the groom should participate equally in the planning process, as it is a joyous occasion. Now a days, there is an huge increase in the amount of money being spent on weddings. This has also led to an interest of deviating from the common norms in the wedding ceremony.
People who specialize in the field of wedding planning (wedding planners) have increased in prominence. These professionals include people like, event organizers, fashion designers, beauticians, make up artist, hairstylists, and caterers.
There are lots of options available due to these specialized services from a number of professionals and service providers. The wedding ceremony size depends on the total budget of the wedding. So each stage of planning is equally important and has to be done with utmost care.
The following are the areas where planning has to be done thoroughly:
§ The most important aspect is to include the whole family in the event. If approval of the elders is available for the wedding then it becomes a happy event not just for the bride and the groom but for their respective families as well.

§ The second stage is to get the horoscopes matched with an astrologer to determine an auspicious date for the wedding. The ceremony usually takes place at the bride's house or at a hall depending on the number of guests.

§ Try and include as many as possible among the 15 small rituals that make up a Hindu wedding ceremony. Or, the ritual's can be chosen according to the preferences of the bride and the groom.

§ Offer alternate entertainment to occupy the guests during the wedding ceremony like food.

§ Videography and photography is essential for any wedding , to make sure that it can be seen later. It is generally needed for all the functions including pre wedding, main day and post wedding functions.

§ The Bridal Attire like saris, jewelry, dresses, Make-up, shoes, lingerie, etc. and For the groom there is groom wear, men accessories. Should be kept ready for the respective ceremonies.

§ Decoration of various kinds like, car decoration, lighting and flowers not only at the wedding place but also at home have to be taken care of.

§ Extra expenses like food, liquor, champagne, waiters, and caterers and other miscellaneous expenses have to be taken care of.

§ Weddings are very expensive affairs. A foolproof budget plan is very essential for any wedding so that one can realize well in advance what they can afford. The other advantage of a well-planned wedding is that, unnecessary expenses can be avoided. Wedding size should also be decided according to the budget of the wedding.


Hindu Wedding Ceremony
Hindu Wedding Ceremony has some special features that give it a distinct look from the marriage ceremonies of other religions. Actually in Vedic age, the life after marriage was considered to be an important stage of life and called the 'Garhastha Ashrama'. This term means, setting up of a separate family unit.

There are several rituals, through which the Hindu wedding ceremony occurs. Two People who are said to be compatible are brought together. Through the wedding ceremony they get into the form of a lifelong relationship at a ceremony called marriage. This is a new stage and responsibility as a householder.
The actual rituals that are performed in a Hinduwedding ceremony are different from region to region and usually take several hours to complete.
The Phases of Hindu Wedding Ceremony
§ Vara Satkaarah - this ceremony constitutes the welcome of the bridegroom and his relatives at the entrance of the wedding hall where the priest chants a few sacred mantrasand the bride's mother blesses the groom by applying Tilak made of vermilion and turmeric powder.

§ Madhuparka - this ceremony constitutes the welcome of the bridegroom at the altar. The bride then offers a mixture of yogurt and honey to the groom as a sign of purity. The bride then greets the groom by a garlanding him and the groom reciprocates it.

§ Kanya Dan - in this ceremony the father of the bride gives away his daughter to the groom. The father pours out a little of sacred water which symbolizes the giving away of his daughter to the bridegroom. This ceremony is done between the chanting of sacredmantras.

§ Vivah-Homa - this sacred fire ceremony is done to ensure that all auspicious undertakings of the marriage start in an atmosphere of purity and spirituality.

§ Pani-Grahan - in this ceremony the groom and the groom stand opposite to each other. The groom holds the right hand of the bride in his left hand. He recites some Vedic recitations praying for a long life and a long life.

§ Pratigna-Karan - in this ceremony the bride and the groom walk round the fire, with the bride leading, and make promises of loyalty, love and fidelity to each other.

§ Shila Arohan - in this ceremony the bride's mother helps the bride to symbolically step onto a stone. This in other words is preparing her for a new life.

§ Laja-Homah - the bride in this ceremony offers rice to the Gods for their blessings. During the ceremony the palms of hers are in those of the groom.

§ The Mangala suthra Dharana- this ceremony marks the tying of the sacred thread, which is a mark of either Vishnu or Shiva in the neck of the bride by the groom.

§ Pradakshina - The bridegroom in this ceremony holds the hand of the bride and circles the nuptial fire either seven times. With this ceremony the marriage is considered complete, and they are wedded into matrimonial bliss.

§ Saptapadi - the bride and the groom are symbolically brought together through the Marriage knot. The groom's scarf is tied to the bride's dress. Then they take seven steps, which represent nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life, harmony and understanding.

§ Abhishek - this ceremony is done by sprinkling water and meditating on the sun and the pole star.

§ Anna Praashan - the couple first offers food to the fire and then feed each other food which expressing mutual love and affection.

§ Aashirvadah - this Hindu wedding ceremony marks the blessings received by the couple from the elders. All the people present in the ceremony express their happiness by showering flowers on the couple thus completing the marriage.



Hindu Marriage Ideals and Commitment
Vedic Hindu marriage is not a contract between two persons of the opposite sex. Marriage is viewed as a life long commitment of one wife and one husband, and it is the strongest bond between a man and woman.
Hindus believe marriage as a mean to continue the family and there by repay to his ancestors. Marriage is a way for learning many things in life through experience. This is a path for spiritual growth.
Cial bond
According to Hindus, the alliance is a union of two families, as well as the union between two individuals. The marriage ceremony will be taking place in the presence of parents, relatives and friends. So, the marriage becomes a social bond as well a commitment.
Break ups
The idea behind the Hindu marriage is to grow in the shades of each other, and not because of selfish motives. The concern for the family can be reflected in the institution of marriage. The love and duty, which is maintained for the existence of family, is the factor which prevents break ups.
Duties divided
In Hinduism, man and woman are the two halves of the divine body. As they are different, no question of inferiority or superiority arises there. The duties of both man and woman had been defined by Shastras (Hindu Scriptures) taking care of their physical and emotional status. Maintaining the domestic peace and taking care of social interactions are extremely important.
Responsibilities
By nature, men have less capability of reserving feelings and behavior than women. This is the reason why, Hindu women are supposed to lead their husband by keeping the lustful tendencies under control. After marriage, the woman who is loyal to her husband is called "Pativrata" (Pati- husband; Vrata- vow). Another synonym for Pativrata is "Sati"-one who preserves her Sattva (purity): physically, mentally and spiritually.

ஸ்பெக்ட்ரம் ஊழலில் மெய்யாகவே நடந்தது என்ன?

ஸ்பெக்ட்ரம் ஊழலில் மெய்யாகவே நடந்தது என்ன?! என்பதை துபாயில் பணிபுரியும் ’சிவக்குமார் என்னும் பொறியாளர்’ அருமையாக ஆய்வு செய்து எழுதியுள்ளார்

நன்கு படித்தவர்கள் அவசியம் சிரமம் பாராமல் சிந்தித்து வாக்களித்து நாட்டைக்காக்கவேண்டும். அவசியம் இதைப்படித்துவிட்டு ஃபேஸ்புக், ஆர்குட், ட்விட்டர் தளங்களில் ஃபார்வர்டும் செய்யவும்.

மக்கள் அனைவரையும் இலவசங்களை மட்டுமே வாங்க தெரிந்த மாக்கான்கள் என்றே நினைத்து விட்டார்கள். அதற்காகத்தான், தமிழ்நாட்டில் அனைவரும் குழந்தை பெற்றுகொள்கிறார்கள் என்று சொன்னாலும் ஆச்சரிய படுவதற்கு இல்லை. என்னது? ஏழைகள் பயன்படுத்தும் அளவிற்கு குறைந்த விலையில் சேவையை கொண்டுவந்தது ராசாவா? மக்களே உண்மையை புரிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள். இந்த புளுகு மூட்டைகளின் பாவத்திற்கு ஆளாகாதீர்கள். விலை குறைந்ததிற்கான காரணத்தை இங்கு குறிப்பிடுகிறேன்.

1999 ஆண்டில் தான் தொலைதொடர்பு உரிமங்கள் வழங்க ஆரம்பிக்கபட்டது. அன்று வெறும் பணம் படைத்தவர்கள் மட்டுமே கைபேசியை பயன்படுத்தினர். எனவே நுகர்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கை மிக குறைவு. சில பல லட்சங்கள் மட்டுமே. தொழில் நுட்பவளமான 1G அல்லது 2G அலைக்கற்றைகள் மிக அதிக அளவில் அரசிடம் கையிருப்பு இருந்துள்ளது. ஆனால் உரிமம் வாங்க உலக அளவிலோ இந்திய அளவிலோ போட்டிகள் இல்லை. விலை கொடுத்து உரிமம் வாங்கியவர்கள் லாபம் பெற நுகர்வோரிடம் நிமிடத்திற்கு அதிக கட்டணம்(In coming and out going ) வசூல் செய்ய கட்டாயம் ஏற்பட்டது. இதில் கவனிக்க வேண்டிய இன்னொரு விஷயம் என்னவென்றால் நாம் தான் வசதி படைத்தவர்களாயிற்றே என்று இஷ்டத்திற்கு பேசி நேரத்தையோ பணத்தையோ அன்றைய வசதி படைத்தவர்கள் விரயம் செய்யவில்லை. குறைவான நேரத்துக்குதான் கைபேசியை பயன்படுத்தினர்.

நுகர்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கை குறைவாக இருந்ததால்தான் அன்று அலைகற்றை உரிமம் பெற அதிக நிறுவனங்கள் முன்வரவில்லை. இதை சரி செய்ய அன்றைய அரசு ஒரு தொலை தொடர்பு புரட்சியை உருவாக்க முயன்றது. விளைவு நாளுக்கு நாள் நுகர்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகமானது. இன்றும் அதிகமாகி கொண்டே இருக்கிறது. 2010 நுகர்வோரின் எண்ணிக்கை சுமார் 60 கோடிக்கும் மேல். 2008 இல் 50 கோடிக்கும் மேல்.

இதற்கும் அதிகமான மக்கள் பயன்படுத்தும் அளவுக்கு போதிய அலைகற்றைகள் அரசிடம் இன்றும் உள்ளனர். ஆனால் பயன்படுத்துவோரின் எண்ணிக்கை வெறும் 60 கோடிதான். 122 தகுதி இல்லாத நிறுவனங்களுக்கு உரிமம் வழங்க பட்டுள்ளது. தகுதி என்றால் என்ன? போதிய அனுபவம், வங்கி காசோலை, வங்கி செக்யூரிட்டி டெபொசிட் அது மட்டும் இல்லை வாங்கியவுடன் குறிப்பிட்ட காலத்திற்குள் சேவையை தொடங்க வேண்டும். இந்த குறிப்பை நினைவில் வைத்து கொள்ளுங்கள். பின்னால் உதவும். டாட்டா, ரிலையன்ஸ் போன்ற பெரிய நிறுவனங்களும் உரிமம் வாங்கியுள்ளனர். இதோடு அந்த 122 தகுதி இல்லாத நிறுவனங்களையும் சேர்த்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.

நியாயக் கணக்கு
இந்தியாவில் 60 கோடி மக்கள் கைபேசி சேவையை பயன்படுத்துவதாக உண்மை தகவல் உள்ளது. எல்லோருக்கும் தெரியும் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். ஒரு நபர் தனது கைபேசியை ஒரு நாளைக்கு சராசரியாக வெறும் 15 நிமிடங்கள் (LOCAL CALLS ONLY) பயன்படுத்துவதாக வைத்துக்கொள்வோம். ஒரு நிமிடத்திற்கு 40 பைசா கட்டணம்.

அப்போது 15x0.40 =6.0 ரூபாய் ஒரு கைபேசியின் மூலம் செலவாகிறது. 60 கோடி கைபேசிகள். 60x6.0 = 360 கோடிகள் ஒரு நாளைக்கு செலவாகிறது. ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு 30x360 = 10,800 கோடிகள். ஒரு வருடத்திற்கு 12x10,800 = 1,29,600 கோடிகள். 2008 இல் 2G ஏலம் விடப்பட்டது. இன்று வரை இரண்டு வருடங்கள் ஆகிறது. அப்போ து குறைந்தபட்ச வருமானம் இன்றுவரை2,59,200 கோடிகள். இது ஒரு நாளைக்கு வெறும் 15 நிமிடங்கள் கைபேசியை பயன்படுத்தினால் இரண்டு வருடத்திற்கு கிடைத்திருக்கும் வருமானம்.

இதோடு SMS, MMS, STD, ISD, சேவை கட்டணம், இணைப்பு கட்டணம்.......இன்னும் என்ன என்னவோ கட்டணங்கள் உள்ளது என்று சொல்கிறார்கள் மற்றும் 15 நிமிடத்திற்கு அதிகமாக பயன்படுத்துவோரின் செலவையும் சேர்த்தால் எத்தனை கோடி கோடிகள் வருமானமாக கிடைக்கும் என்பதை நீங்களே கணக்கிட்டு கொள்ளுங்கள். என்னால் கணக்கிடவே முடியவில்லை. என்னிடம் உள்ள கால்குலேட்டர் மற்றும் கணினி காண்பிப்பது "INFINITIVE". நான் தற்போது இந்தியாவில் இல்லை. இருந்திருந்தால் அனைத்தையும் அலசி ஆராய்ந்து இதைவிட இன்னும் துல்லியமாக நடந்த ஊழலின் அளவை குறிப்பிட்டு இருப்பேன். இந்த வருமானம் அனைத்தும் அரசுக்கு கிடைத்திருக்க வேண்டும். அது மக்களை சென்று அடைந்து இருக்கவேண்டும். கிடைத்ததா?

மக்களை சென்றடைந்ததா? நிச்சயம் இல்லை என்றுதான் ஒவ்வொரு மக்களும் கூறவேண்டும். அப்படி என்றால் இந்த மக்கள் பணம் சட்டத்திற்கு புறம்பாக யாரிடமோ சென்று அடைந்துள்ளது. இந்த ஊழல் பணம் அடுத்த சில ஆண்டுகளில் தனது சொந்தநாட்டு மக்களையே தாக்கப்போகிறது. விலைவாசி உயரும். பொருளாதாரம் நாசாகும். "Above middle Class" மக்கள் நடுத்தர மக்களாகவும், நடுத்தர மக்கள் ஏழைகளாகவும், ஏழை மக்கள் மேலும் பரம ஏழைகளாகவும் மாறுவார்கள்.

ஜனநாயகம் வேரோடு அழியும். மனிதாபிமானம், மனிதநேயம் மண்ணோடு மண்ணாகும். ரௌடிசம்,குற்றசம்பவங்கள் தலைவிரித்து ஆடும். கடந்த ஐந்தாண்டுகளாக ஆயுள் கைதியாக உள்ள நடுநிலை பத்திரிகைகள் இனி மரண தண்டனை கைதிகளாக மாற்றப்பட்டு தூக்கில் போடப்படும்.

துரோகம்-1: உரிமம் வாங்கிய அனைத்து நிறுவனங்களும் சுமார் 13000 கோடிக்கும் அதிகம் பொறுமானம் உள்ள(உதாரணம் S .TEL நிறுவனம்13000 கோடிக்கு வாங்க முன்வந்தது) அலைகற்றைகள் உரிமத்தை அடிமாட்டு விலைக்கு அதாவது 1200 , 1300 ,1650 கோடிகளுக்கு திட்டமிட்டு விற்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அரசுக்கு சேரவேண்டிய, மக்களுக்கு சேர வேண்டிய வருவாய் சில சுய நலவாதிகளை சென்றடைந்துள்ளது.

துரோகம்-2: பெரும்பாலான நிறுவனங்கள் தங்கள் உரிமத்தின் பங்குகளை வெளி நாட்டு நிறுவனங்களுக்கு விற்று கொள்ளை லாபம் பார்த்துள்ளனர். இதனால் அரசுக்கு அதாவது பல கோடி மக்களுக்கு கிடைக்க வேண்டிய அரசின் வருவாய் சில சுய நல தனி மனிதர்களை சென்று அடைந்துள்ளது.

துரோகம்-3: தகுதி இல்லாமல் உரிமம் வாங்கிய 122 நிறுவங்களில் பெரும்பாலான நிறுவனங்கள் இன்னும் சேவையை தொடங்கவில்லை. இதில் "swan, Unitech" போன்ற லெட்டர் பேட் நிறுவனங்களும் அடங்கும். இந்த நிறுவனகள் ஏன் இன்னும் சேவையை தொடங்கவில்லை என்று உள்ளூர ஆராய்ந்தால் மிக தெளிவாக புரியும். பெரிய நிறுவனங்கள் போட்டி இல்லாமல் தொலைதொடர்பு துறையில் கொள்ளை லாபம் பார்க்க அதாவது கட்டணம் என்ற பெயரில் மக்களின் உழைப்பை சுரண்ட பெரும்பாலான தகுதி இல்லாத பினாமி லெட்டர் பேட் நிறுவனங்கள் இன்னும் சேவையை தொடங்கவில்லை.

இவைகள் சேவையை தொடங்கி இருந்தால் சந்தையில் போட்டி அதிகமாகி கைபேசியில் பேசும் கட்டணம் இப்போது இருப்பதை விட மேலும் குறைந்திருக்கும். ஒரு வேளை இதற்காகத்தான் திட்டமிட்டு "S.TEL போன்ற போட்டி நிறுவனங்களுக்கு உரிமம் வழங்கவில்லை என்ற சந்தேகம் தெளிவாக எழுகிறது.

துரோகம்-4: MTNL BSNL போன்ற அரசு நிறுவனங்களுக்கு அதிக அளவில் அலைகற்றைகளை ஒதுக்கி போதிய ஆப்பெரடர்களை நியமித்து இருந்தால் கைபேசியில் பேசும் கட்டணம் நிமிடத்திற்கு வெறும் ஒரு பைசாவுக்கு வந்திருக்கும். மக்கள் அரசினால் பயன் அடைந்து இருப்பார்கள்.
துரோகம்-5: தகுதி இல்லாமல் உரிமம் வாங்கிய லெட்டர் பேட் நிறுவனங்கள் தனது பங்குகளை பல வெளி நாட்டு நிறுவனங்களுக்கு விற்றுள்ளனர். அதில் பாகிஸ்தான் போன்ற நாடுகளும் அடங்கும். இந்தியாவின் தொலை தொடர்பு துறையை இந்த நாடுகளும் பயன்படுத்துகின்றனர். இது உள்நட்டு மக்களின் பாதுகாப்புக்கு மிக பெரிய அச்சுறுத்தல்.

துரோகம்-6: நீரா ராடியா தொலைபேசி உரையாடல்கள், CAG ,தொலைதொடர்பு சம்பந்தபட்ட, கைபற்றபட்ட ஆவணங்கள், சம்பந்தபட்ட பிரதமர் அலுவலக கடிதங்கள் புறகணிப்பு, சட்ட,நிதி துறை கடிதங்கள் புறகணிப்பு, TRAI பரிதுரைகள் புறகணிப்பு இப்படி கோடி கணக்கில் ஆதாரங்கள், சாட்சிகள். முதலில் வருபவருக்கே முன்னுரிமை என்று முந்தைய ஆட்சியாளர்கள் வகுத்த அடிப்படை கொள்கை கூட பின்பற்றப்படவில்லை. அதிலும் முறைகேடு.

துரோகம்-7: இவ்வளவு குற்றங்கள் செய்தும் சம்பந்தபட்ட குற்றவாளிகள் செய்த தவறை ஒப்பு கொள்ளாமல் நாங்கள் தவறு செய்யவில்லை என்று மக்களிடம் பொய் பிரச்சாரம் செய்வது மக்களுக்கு இழைக்கப்பட்ட ஏழாவது துரோகம். இதன் உச்சகட்டம்தான் 2G யில் ஊழலும் இல்லை நஷ்டமும் இல்லை என்று மத்திய அமைச்சரின் பத்திரிகை பேட்டி. இந்த உலகத்திலே தான் மட்டும்தான் புத்திசாலி வக்கீல் மற்ற அனைவரும் அடி முட்டாள்கள் என்ற ஆணவ நினைப்பு.
துரோகம்-8: நடந்த அனைத்து தேச துரோகங்களும், குற்றங்களும் பொருளாதார மேதை பிரதமருக்கு தெரிந்தே கண்முன்னே நடந்துள்ளது. இருந்தும் பிரதமர் வாய் மூடி மௌனியாக இருப்பது மக்களுக்கு இழைக்கபடும் மகா மகா துரோகம்.

துரோகம்-9: ஸ்பெக்ட்ரம் விவகாரத்தில் முறைகேடாக பெறபட்ட பணங்கள் பெரும்பாலானவை இந்தியாவில் புழக்கத்தில் இல்லாமல் அந்நிய நாடுகளில்,வங்கிகளில் முதலீடு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தகவல். இந்த பணம் அரசுக்கு வருவாயாக கிடைத்து இருந்தால் ஏராளமான அரசு கல்லூரிகள், பள்ளிகள், பாலங்கள், மருத்துவமனைகள், தொழிற்சாலைகள் என்று உருவாக்கி அனைவருக்கும் கல்வி,வேலைவாய்ப்பு, அடிப்படை வசதிகள் என்று ஏற்படுத்தி ஏழைகளே இல்லாத நாட்டை உருவாக்கி இருக்கலாம். இலவசங்கள் பெறாத மக்களை கண்டிருக்கலாம்.

துரோகம்-10: ஸ்பெக்ட்ரம் ஊழல் பணத்தை பயன்படுத்தி தலித் பற்றும் பிற இனத்தை சேர்ந்த ஏழை விவசாய மக்களிடம் மிரட்டி விளை நிலங்களை அடிமாட்டு விலைக்கு வாங்கப்பட்டதாக தகவல். இது மக்களுக்கு இழைக்கபட்ட துரோகம் பத்து. ஒரு முறைகேட்டை செய்து அதையே மூலதனமாக வைத்து இன்னொரு முறைகேடு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஊழல் செய்வதினால் மக்களுக்கு இழைக்கபடும் துன்பங்களுக்கு இதை விட சிறந்த உதாரணம் வேறென்ன வேண்டும். நண்டு கொழுத்தால் வலையில் தங்காது. இதுதான் ஊழலின் விளைவுகள். இவர்கள் ரத்தம் குடிக்கும் கொசுக்கள் மாதிரி. நம்மிடம் உள்ள ரத்தத்தை உறிஞ்சுவதோடு மட்டும் இல்லை அதோடு சேர்த்து நோய் கிருமிகளையும் நமது ரத்தத்தில் விட்டு செல்கின்றனர்.

இப்படி 2G ஊழலில் மக்களுக்கு இழைக்கபட்ட துரோகங்கள் எண்ணில் அடங்காதது. இந்த ஊழலின் தாக்கம் இதோடு நிற்காது. மக்களைத்தான் சுத்தி சுத்தி அடிக்கும். எப்படி? ஊழல் பணத்தை வைத்து ஏழைகளின் நிலங்கள் அடிமாட்டு விலைக்கு வாங்கப்பட்டு அதை பிளாட் போட்டு அதே மக்களிடம் அதிக விலை வைத்து விற்கப்படுகிறது.

ஒரு ஏக்கரை குறைந்த விலைக்கு விற்ற மக்கள் அந்த பணத்தை வைத்து அதே இடத்தில் அதாவது முந்தைய சொந்த இடத்தில ஒரு கிரௌண்ட் நிலம் கூட வாங்க முடியவில்லை. இதுதான் ஊழலின் விளைவு. இப்போது புரிந்து இருக்கும் ஏழைகள் எப்படி உருவாகிறார்கள் என்று. இது மட்டும் இல்லை ஊழல் பணத்தை வைத்து அனைத்து இடங்களையும் வளைத்து போட்டு ரியல் எஸ்டேட் நடத்தும் அனைத்து அரசியல்வாதிகளும் இப்படி ஊழல் பணத்தில்தான் செய்கின்றனர்.

அவர்கள் சொல்வதுதான் விலை. விலைவாசி உயர்வது இயற்கை அல்ல. அனைத்தும் மிக மிக செயற்கையே. இயற்கை என்று ஆளும் கட்சியினர் கூறுவது தவறு. உண்மையை மூடி மறைக்கும் செயல். இது ரியல் எஸ்டேட் மட்டும் இல்லை. அனைத்து பொருள்களுக்கும் பொருந்தும். குறைந்த விகிதத்தில் உள்ள பணக்காரர்கள் மேலும் பணக்காரர்கள் ஆவார்கள். அதிக விகித்தில் உள்ள நடுத்தர மக்கள், ஏழைகள் மேலும் ஏழைகளாக ஆவார்கள். இந்த ஏழை, பணக்காரன் இடை வெளியை குறைக்கத்தான் அரசாங்கம் ஒன்றை மக்கள் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கிறார்கள்.

இன்று ஆளும் வர்க்கத்தினரே அதற்கு முழு முதல் காரணமாக திகழ்கிறார்கள். சொல்லபோனால் அரசின் கடமைகளை அரசியல்வாதிகளும் மறந்துவிட்டனர். இவர்களை தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் மக்களும் தங்கள் கடமைகளை மறந்து இலவசத்துக்கு பின் செல்கின்றனர். இலவசம் வாங்கும் மக்களே ஒன்றை நன்றாக தெரிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.

உங்கள் உழைப்பு என்னும் மூலதனத்தை மறந்து இலவசம் வாங்குவதால் எத்தனை தலைமுறைகள் கடந்தாலும் நீங்கள் ஏழைகளாகத்தான் இருக்க முடியும். உங்கள் வாழ்கை தரமும் உயரபோவதில்லை. இலவசம் கொடுக்க தேவையான வரிபணத்தை செலுத்தும் உழைக்கும் மக்களின் வாழ்கை தரமும் உயரபோவதில்லை. இது நிச்சயம். மாற்றம் ஒன்றே மாறாதது. இலவசம் மாறவில்லை என்றால் உங்கள் வாழ்கை தரமும் மாறபோவதில்லை.

எனது நோக்கமே இந்த 2G உலக மகா ஊழலால் மக்கள் எவ்வாறு வஞ்சிக்கபட்டார்கள் என்பதை ஒவ்வொரு இந்திய குடிமகனும் பத்திரிகை நிறுவனங்களில் பணிபுரியும் நண்பர்கள் உள்பட அனைவரும் தெரிந்து கொள்ளவேண்டும் என்பதுதான். எனவே தெரிந்துகொள்ளுங்கள், புரிந்துகொள்ளுங்கள். ஒவ்வொரு ஏழை மக்களுக்கும் தெரியபடுத்துங்கள். ரோட்டில் இறங்கிதான் போராடவேண்டும் என்று இல்லை.கொடி பிடிக்க அவசியமும் இல்லை. e -mail, FAX , Facebook , orkut என்று எவ்வளவோ தொழில் நுட்ப வசதி உள்ளது. தங்களுக்கு உகந்த ஏதேனும் ஒன்றை தேர்வு செய்து தங்களின் அன்றாட வேலைகள் பாதிக்காத வகையில் சுலபமாக இதை செய்யமுடியும். செய்வீர்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.
நன்றி. சிவக்குமார்

Warm Regards
Parthiban Sundaram